Millais Part II

Millais’s first large Pre Raphaelite work caused a lot of controversy... It was a study from the life of Christ... Christ as a boy in the Carpenters shop.  Because it was realistic, it was considered ugly and almost blasphemous and not the sort of safe picture that the Royal Academy would usually display.  Charles Dickens (ironically in view of his own kind of writing which was also considered ugly and “low” by many) was one of those who criticised his work quite sharply.  The Pre Raphaelite movement did not get off to a good start with this controversy.  Some of the younger painters found it hard to get their work exhibited because of the negative reaction of critics and some of the public.  Millais was luckier than most because he had family money behind him, which helped to buffer him for a few years.

Public taste did change, and the beauty and technical skill of Millais and the other painters’ work began to accustom art lovers to the new ideas. 

John Ruskin the art critic defended Millais in the controversy over the Christ painting and spoke well of the Pre Raphaelites' work and their ideals. He supported their wish to paint only from nature and to do it realistically….He agreed with their desire to paint in order to create beauty and art, rather than to make money…and with their desire to return to medieval simplicity rather than the ornate works and mannered paintings  of later artists.

Ruskin was friendly with Millais at first but then his friendship was destroyed by a tragic event which was to change both men’s lives.   Ruskin spent time with Millais and introduced him to his young wife Effie.   She sat for Millais as a model for one of his paintings; the Order of Release...which was based on the events of the Jacobite rebellion… The young people  grew close to each other during their time together and Millais also planned another painting with Ruskin and Effie during a holiday in Scotland.  
Effie had been married to Ruskin for a few years but the marriage was disastrously unhappy.  He was a highly intelligent man and a polymath, but he was dominated over by his parents in spite of his interests in art and radical theories of politics… In addition, he seems to have had psycho sexual problems, which made him confused about women and the marriage remained unconsummated.  

Ruskin was ambivalent about his marriage.  At times he was unkind to his wife and she was desperately unhappy at his refusal or inability to consummate the marriage and have children.  He claimed that she was too young at first and that he did not want children... But as time passed Effie grew more confused and miserable and it made her ill…

Ruskin however seems to have been reluctant to end the marriage.  Effie had gone to her parents…Realising that there was a way out, she left her husband and filed a suit for nullification of the marriage.   She secured her freedom but many were scandalised by the annulment... She married Millais a year later and they had 8 children... She and Millais were socially active.. But she was not received by some people, though many supported her and sympathised.  
When Millais became a successful painter, he was received by Queen Victoria but the queen refused to meet his wife... Until many years later when he was dying...

Millais’ marriage seems to have had an effect on his work.  With a large family to support, he had to work faster, and produce more pictures.  He  began to abandon the strict Pre Raphaelite ideals and to paint in different styles….